I can remember as a teenager those years when hearing Daydream Nation on a cassette for the first time and really suddenly grasping it, completely changing my life, or those years when we all question our appearance or coolness or start to come to terms with sexual identity. I was kind of a maniac already at the age of fifteen, but for many kids it is really a struggle as they are hammered at home to “be a man” or to conform to a narrow view of femininity that can actually be anything but empowering. I can remember talking to an ex-girlfriend a while ago and we were lamenting that a lot of teenagers seemed lamer these days. We were watching the documentary Don't You Forget About Me about some film students who set out to thank the reclusive John Hughes (before his death, obviously) and it brought to mind how kids sort of seemed to have more spunk when we were growing up. That said, there are always some really rad people out there who aren’t just trying to copy each other, and as this show proved, a lot of them were in attendance. For an open-minded yet still cynical rock singer and writer of over seventeen years, I was rewarded with one of the best shows I ever saw and was completely inspired, plus-it was my birthday.

I was a little worried at first I’d be escorted off the grounds because I had been up until 4 a.m. the night before drinking whiskey and at one point was wearing a curtain, having performed with one of my bands at nearby venue The Basement. The Resurrection Sorrow had come to town, one of the very best sludge rock bands in New York City and shared the stage with my group Acid Arrow, so suffice to say there was some partying goin’ on. I had not showered and was afraid the High School security would actually assume I was a predator, since I had big circles under my eyes and also a bad mustache. Luckily, this was not the case and everyone was super friendly. It was so cool to just have random, happy conversations with all sorts of people younger and older at this event and just feel this overwhelming positive energy and psychedness. I used to organize a lot of benefits for Rock For Choice and other organizations when I was a young punker growing up in Woodstock, New York but got sort of worn down over the years, so this event was really a fabulous reminder of why that is always still so important and can change lives.

Men Can Stop Rape is basically focused on changing entrenched gender ideas. It is about men assessing women in a different light with more respect, realizing their responsibility to coexist before hands become stained red with the guilt of a horrible crime. I may make pig headed sarcastic jokes sometimes in my articles about sex, but rest assured at the end of the day I have great respect for feminine energy and life would suck without it. That is also why I am always pushing to promote bands with great, powerful front women like Landmine Marathon, The Karyn Crisis Band or the group We Are The Fallen (who truly rocked the shit out of Irving Plaza the other night supporting HIM, by the way). Even in mass pop culture I would much rather watch Scarlett Johansson in Iron Man 2 stealing the show and kicking the crap out’ve twenty goons than stare at the dancing girls in other scenes of the movie. I really can’t understand how stupid we are culturally some times and as I have also seen the effects of rape on the psyche of several people who were very important in my life, I have always really tried to advocate for the polar opposite. My old band Pontius Pilate Sales Pitch (with original Coheed and Cambria drummer Nate Kelley) wrote an anti-rape song called “A Slow Dance In Hell” that I am still really proud of and would love y’all to go check out online.

So, that said, this show was totally perfect. Not only was there a bake sale, which of course summons up instant return to High School vibes, but everyone was truly grateful for the bands and was really digging the indie rock. It was cool to see kids caring about “real” music so hard. The show had been organized by a student who happened to just email Titus Andronicus on MySpace and the band was cool enough to not make him jump through any major hoops, simply agreeing to play and sticking to their word. Hell yeah!

I missed openers Red Shift but really enjoyed Battle Ave Tea Club, a band who’s wiry singer was a bit spastic but was really digging deep. Their drummer was very good as well and the band had some captivating instrumental passages that were somewhat startlingly introspective to some of the older cafeteria monitors who probably didn’t know what kind of noise they were in for. That’s the thing; I forgot to mention this show was in a fucking cafeteria! How cool is that! The next time Jimmy Olsen goes on line to have his pudding cup and chicken patty, he can remember that Titus Andronicus played right there and that a lot more is possible in life if you stay inspired and follow your dreams!

Nightmares For A Week are one of my favorite, favorite bands. Despite being friends and even boasting an ex-Divest band mate of mine in bassist Sean Paul Pillsworth, I really do have a critically fair ear towards them and they just plain kick ass. Influenced by Jawbreaker, Dinosaur Jr., The Replacements, Against Me!, and a slew of great acts from the history of punk and real rock, they just get better and better and more themselves with every DIY show. Nightmares donated much of their merch sales towards the cause at this show. “It was my idea,” joked Sean Paul during the high energy set. While they had P.A. problems at first, it only made it more punk rock and the set grew and grew in intensity, highlighting all the reasons this band needs to be huge. “Bear Mountain” was explosive, with locked in camaraderie between Pillsworth, drummer Steve Markota and understated musical genius Bill Manley. I have heard a lot of the full-length debut they are currently working on and can truly say it is going to knock the socks off of the scene when it drops. Woohoo!

Titus Andronicus looked more like a shambling troupe of gypsies than band of the moment, but looks can be very deceiving. Heck, I just met a smoking cute very well put together rather clean cut bartender the other day who turned out to not only know Israeli martial arts but to also know just as much as me about Type O Negative. You never know! I talked with Eric Harm of Titus and learned that this actually wasn’t the first gig they’d ever played that also had a bake sale! He took my recommendation and tried the brownies and was pleased.

I had never seen Titus and have to say I was completely blown away. Bill from Nightmares had told me that they have certain similarities to the rowdy side of The Pogues and I have to agree, albeit in a much more indie-influenced rock direction than pub anthems. Stomping beat after stomping beat kept me and the crowd dancing all through the set and Amy Klein looked like a total rock star with her guitar slung over her back and out of the way while she shredded on violin. Vocalist Patrick Stickles gave a great speech or two to the crowd, talking about Take Back The Night and also how what it really takes to be a man is to be yourself, which is truly a bigger step towards maturity than being an extroverted yet truly insecure douche bag full of bravado who hits or discriminates towards women. That said, ladies also should try and be strong and also please don’t castrate me because I love you.

Titus focused heavily on their new record The Monitor, a civil war themed tour de force. “Titus Andronicus Forever” was my favorite of the night, with the band launching off their feet and the room just overflowing with blissful joy. It was really refreshing, and these guys and gal truly play some explosive guitar rock as well as make you think. Hallelujah!